Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking and Nicotine Dependence Among Physicians and Employees and Their Attitude Towards Smoke Free Workplace

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence among physicians and employees and their attitudes towards smoke free workplace in Port-said City. A cross-sectional survey design was used in this study during the period from June 2013 until August 2013. This study was conducted at the hospitals, private clinic and the different public health sectors in Port-said City. Sample size was 1086. Study subjects were employees and physicians. It includes 550 employees (420 males &130 females) and 536 physicians (332 males & 204 females). World Health Organization's smoke free workplace questionnaire was the tool used in this study. Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence was used to assess the degree of nicotine dependence among smokers. The cut off point was taken at 6 on10 point scale. The result of the study shows that 35.7 % of the employees were smokers but only 23.13% of the physicians were having the habit of smoking. The majority of the samples were worked in shared office; 76.4% of employees, while 51% of the physicians so they were subjected to fumes of others, or they were affecting others. The percentage of the current smokers of employees, about 40.8% used to smoke their first cigarettes within the 5 minutes after waking up, while 18.5% among physicians. Around 28.6% of employees and 18.5% of physicians smoked even if they were ill. About 51% of employees and 37.1% of physicians can smoke 11to20 cigarettes per/day. The mean score of Fagerstrom test of smokers who want to quit was 4.9 and 2.1standard deviation while for those who would not want to quit was 6.4and 2.2 of standard deviation. There was a relationship between being smokers who would quit or not and their total score in nicotine dependence test, (P<0.0001). Total ban of smoking in public places was chosen by the majority of participants, but nicotine dependence may play as an obstacle to achieve this objective. Smoking cessation programs should consider a dependence treatment program.